IT has taken almost four years, but Bathurst Regional Council has now formally taken ownership of the landmark TAFE building on William Street.
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The handover was made official by the NSW Government Gazette on Friday.
No money has changed hands as part of the deal, which gives council ownership of not only the TAFE building but also a 6033 square metre tract of land in the heart of the central business district and two more buildings, including the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum.
Mayor Gary Rush said council has been pursuing the ownership of the former TAFE building for some time and was pleased this process had now been finalised.
“Council recognises and values the importance of the history and heritage significance of the former TAFE site,” Cr Rush said.
“The site will now be a key component of the entire Bathurst Town Square, and the future of it must be considered through further community consultation as part of the Conservation Management Plan (CMP).”
The building was first offered to council in 2012 but the decision to take ownership was not a clear-cut one for councillors.
While the TAFE complex has been gifted to the people of Bathurst, so too has a hefty annual maintenance bill – not to mention the cost of refurbishing the complex once its future use has been decided.
A report to councillors in 2013 estimated it would cost around $1.7 million to bring the TAFE building up to basic compliance standards and around $250,000 to maintain it in a mothballed state.
That report also outlined several options that could be explored for the development of the site, including:
- Restoring the building to a usable condition and then leasing it to community groups at a peppercorn (a low or nominal) rent.
- Disposing of the building by sale.
- Granting the building to a developer for redevelopment for a defined period of time.
- Calling for expressions of interest for the sale of the site and its redevelopment; and a public/private partnership.
A conservation management plan completed in 2015 detailed the history of the site, examined the relative heritage significance of the former TAFE and public school buildings and the Bathurst Town Square and considered opportunities for its reuse after renovation.